Irvine’s CUCINA enoteca is the latest addition to Urban Kitchen Group, conceived and helmed by restaurant visionary Tracy Borkum. The modern Italian kitchen-meets-charming bohemian farmhouse is one of Orange County’s only retail wine shop and restaurant-in-one concepts.
Executive chef Joe Magnanelli takes the reigns in the kitchen with California-inspired Italian classics prepared with locally sourced, organic and sustainable products.
Get GNUD! Chef Joe has been praised for delivering inventive twists on Italian dishes with local and seasonally inspired menus.
For fall dining consideration, Joe’s signature take on a trending dish, the Ricotta GNUDI and some brand new fall menu items.
Turning a traditional Italian favorite upside down with a modern take, chef Magnanelli has reintroduced the forgotten Gnudi (pronounced “nu-dee”), a lighter, dumpling-like version of the ever popular gnocchi.
One might recall, gnocchi was “the” hot dish in the culinary scene a while back, showing up on American restaurant menus as the approachable, yet unique, new pasta. T
oday, Gnudi is taking center stage. Gnocchi, literally translated as “lump,” is a small Italian dumpling most commonly made from potato and flour.
Gnudi on the other hand, meaning “naked”, is an airier Florentine creation usually made from spinach or Swiss chard, ricotta and very little flour. CUCINA’s top-selling version of these housemade pillows are the perfect fall dish for any light Southern California palate.
CUCINA enoteca’s Ricotta Gnudi with sage brown butter, amaretti (almond) and parmigiano ($10.50). A perfect seasonal dish!
Chef Magnanelli will introduce other new offerings to the menu utilizing ingredients of the season—available mid-October.
These fall-inspired dishes are prepared with the best locally sourced ingredients of the season.
*Tahitian squash agnolotti with maple, rutabaga, caramelized garlic and house cured ricotta salata ($17.50)
*Three new selections of the chef’s whim polenta boards: 1. braised duck, cherry, cippolini onion. 2. wild boar, roasted chestnut. 3. truffled pumpkin, quince ($14).
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